You may have noticed that I’ve been in an out for a while now. And so, I figured it was time to spill the beans, so to speak.

I’ve decided to put my heart, soul and love of photography into one brand new blog. It will be much like Running To Slow Things Down has always been, only with a brand new title, a fresh new look and a much broader view. There will still be food (of course!) and running (obviously!) but there will also be a whole lot more family, fun and ‘f’otos. I truly hope you’ll enjoy it and I hope you’ll keep on standing by as faithful readers. Blogging just wouldn’t be the same without you!

I’ll be forwarding a link to my new home soon…hope to see you there! :D

I am most confident in a pair of running sneakers. I feel my best when I am sweaty and tired and moving.

Calm. Centered. Focused.

My weekend long run was such a mental feat for me today. I knew it would be as soon as I woke up, feeling as if I had already ran the 12 miles. Twelve miles? Pshh…Try one.

Yes. A serious mental feat. In fact, I almost didn’t go.

But of course, with the half marathon being but two weeks away, I had a good dose of motivation to get out and run. I told myself that if I still didn’t feel good by the 6th mile, I could shorten the running loop.

After the first mile, I felt on top of the world–-light as a feather. This carried me through until somewhere between mile 6 and mile 7. Which is when I had to muster up every last inch of strength that I could possibly find. My legs and breathing were near perfect but my mind was a million miles away. And then Negative Nancy paid me a visit.

“You can’t do this, you know.”

“What are you thinking???”

“You’re not a runner, silly!”

With each step, I pretended I was squashing each negative thought. Staying positive is crucial for carrying me through these longer runs!!

When I came home, I slipped on my comfiest flats and headed back out into the sunshine for a little stroll around the yard. Stretching out felt absolutely delicious on the legs!

Today I will be attempting to run my final long run before the big Half Marathon day in two weeks. You think I’d be on edge. Full of energy and nerves and ready to pump out ever last mile.

You’d think.

But no. This past week with all its business and chaos has left me feeling like Stitch will a belly full of food. Tired. Pooped. Completely tuckered out. Yes. This may very well be the run that will test my mental strength and motivation.

I’ll tell you all about it upon my return…and if you happen not to hear from me, please send the posse. It means I’m lying on the side of the road, somewhere, in need of a caffeine IV. ;)

I twist and I turn and I try to pull free, but somehow it becomes 3 o’clock and I’m just eating lunch. It becomes 6 o’clock and I realize that I’m eating spaghetti squash for the second night in a row. And, somehow, it becomes 8 o’clock and I once again realize that I’m fighting a losing battle. A losing battle that has really already been lost.

Time. Where do you go?

I’ve learned over the years that I can’t control time. As a little girl, I could never make Christmas morning come any faster no matter how hard I wished for it. As a freshman in college, I could never make time go backwards for just “a little more time to study.” And now, as I sit here in my fuzzy socks, drinking tea, and blogging I realize: Sarah, you can’t control time.

But..BUT!

There is always a “but”. But, I can control what I do with my time.

Even on the busiest days, I need to remind myself what “slow” feels like. What it means to feel the wind on my face. Or a water droplet splattering against my cheek. The sound of a mallard duck flying overhead. Even the sound of my footsteps on the ground. Just a few things. A few things to settle me down and realize that I’m okay. That despite how busy life feels, the slow things in life continue on as well.

Sigh. This is so satisfying.

Eggs, spinach and quinoa are satisfying too (yes, together!) Maybe it’s the fact that I finally broke away from the repetitive nature of my spaghetti squash. Or maybe it’s because the meal felt so out of the ordinary and totally random. A splash of surprise for an otherwise normal, busy day.

Yes. It satisfied every tastebud. :D

QUESTION: What are some of your favorite “simple” moments that you see or experience on a day to day basis? If you’re not really sure, I recommend trying to seek them out tomorrow! You’ll be surprised with what you notice. :D

You must bear with me for a moment or two. I am on a breakfast kick of sorts.

Normally, when I’m on such a breakfast kick, I revolve my mind around oats and yogurt and muffins. And things like that.

But then, this week, a friend told me that she was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. That she would miss her beloved raisin bread and melty chocolate chip cookies the most. And then, also, she would mourn the loss of her morning bowl of warm and creamy oats. That’s when I realized (by golly!) that I needed to do something about this. The raisin bread and cookies, I’ll tackle later. But with so many gluten free grains to choose from, I knew she could quite easily find a breakfast that would once again make her feel right at home in her own kitchen.

If you’ve ever been into feeding your backyard birds or even if you’ve ever been to an animal feed store, you know exactly what millet looks like. It’s one of the most popular seeds used for feeding birds, especially in the US.

A tiny, seeded species of cereal crops, this grain is completely gluten free. The flavor is mild and subtly sweet, making it ideal for things like rice pilafs or tabbouleh. Or–in my case–breakfast.

This isn’t as fast as throwing together a morning bowl of oats. But there are some shortcuts. You could easily double (triple?) the batch and have breakfast for the upcoming week. If you really find yourself enjoying it, it might be worth purchasing some millet grits, which are ground more fine, making them quicker to cook up in the morning. This is delicious with walnuts on top or served in an almost empty peanut butter jar, which will offer the most ultimate, creamy pleasure.

This breakfast takes about 25 minutes of total prep and cooking time, which is why I highly recommend making it in bulk and refrigerating the leftovers for the following day. :D

1 cup lowfat milk + 1/4 cup water

cinnamon and nutmeg

1/4 cup millet

dash of salt

1 very ripe banana, sliced

2 Tbsp. raisins

toppings: walnuts

In a medium sauce pan, bring milk, water and spices to a bowl. Add millet and a dash of salt. Stir, cover and reduce heat to medium low, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Cook for 15 minutes.

Add banana and raisins. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until millet has reached desired consistency. Top with walnuts and ENJOY! :D

QUESTION: Are you adventurous with trying new grains or do you have your tried and true favorites?

1. Nicole’s creativity, dispersed into the cutest place settings that I have ever seen.

(Nicole is the up and coming Martha Stewart, in case you didn’t know.)

2. Quiet time spent with family and friends.

3. The food. (of course!)

Nicole made a large batch of sweet potato and rosemary soup. For a moment, I completely lost my senses and found myself wishing that I was one of mom’s homemade butter rolls being dunked into the rich, orange broth.

Did I just say that out loud?

Heavenly.

I honestly could have made a meal out of the bread and soup, but the main meal was pretty scrumptious too.

5. Dessert. (because this is a completely different reason than the #3!)

Nicole went all out with the entirety of the meal. And then she ended it with a loud, lemony, coconut bang.

Kelsey brought a trio of yummy vegan desserts for the table to share as well.

Delish!

6. End of meal conversations.

This is always my favorite part of every holiday. Empty plates. Quiet chatter. Candles glowing. People laughing. Bellies feeling full and content.

7. Goodie bags! :mrgreen:

Thanks, Nicole!

8. Cuddling with a cat named Stitch.

Because he never ceases to make me laugh.

9. Remembering all of the good things in life.

Sometimes I forget to thank God for the simple moments. Which is funny, because these are the moments that I continue to remember, long after the day has passed. The moments that mean the most. I love that Easter reminds me of all these things.

Well. I tried to be mature about this. But waking up to snow this morning was not at all my cup of tea.

In fact, I felt like doing nothing more (or less) than griping and complaining. And I definitely let out a loud groan as I turned the coffee maker on, which probably (most definitely) woke my parents up. Yep. Real mature.

But a girl can change her mind, right?

I slipped on my flats (because I absolutely refuse to wear Uggs in April!) and stood on the porch, overlooking the magic around me. It was beautiful. Everything. Beautiful. The snowflakes were large and melted on my face as I grinned up at the sky. The world was asleep and I was completely alone. Watching the snowflakes. Life is so beautiful.

Dad walked into the kitchen and ate some breakfast with a mug of coffee. And then we decided to head out for our morning run. In the snow. I felt like a little kid on my day off from school, running and splashing through puddles. Fingers feeling numb from the cold. Face feeling frozen. This is what contentment feels like.

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope that you are able to enjoy the day with the ones you love the most. :D

I’m aware that this isn’t entirely normal, and that most people who experience any sort of food craving won’t usually find themselves craving mashed-up beans of any sort.

“Quick! Run to the supermarket! I need my bean fix!”

Or…

“You know, I always stash a couple of extra beans in my purse. You just never know when that urge will strike.”

You see? Totally not normal.

I’m not trying to exaggerate my craving. Because, really, when I want a big bowl of hummus, I want a big bowl of hummus. This is serious stuff. And so, tonight, when I found myself with such a craving—and no cans of chickpeas in sight!!!-–I needed to improvise. White beans, I decided, would do just fine. I added a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of zingy red wine vinegar and a sprinkle of rosemary to pull it all together.

It’s that simple. It’s that delicious. And it’s how my dinner became my dinner.

Anyways. Continuing on with the bean theme…

I found this bag of “Beanitos” at the grocery store the other day and simply had to purchase them. It’s nice to see a corn-free version of tortilla chips, especially when it revolves around black beans!

Love the ingredient list…

Love the nutrition facts…

Low salt! High fiber! Protein!

(Love those beans!)

Love that flavah and c-r-u-n-c-h!

A big ol’ scoop of the white bean dip found its way onto my roasted vegetable salad.

Dinner was simple. Dinner was fabulous. Simply fabulous.

Sometimes it’s all about the beans.

White Bean Dip

Beans are loaded with fiber, protein and nutrients. They’re also loaded with flavor and they can be incredibly versatile. Try whipping this quick dip together and make a veggie sandwich out of it. Or serve over a couple of crunchy crackers. Add it to a platter of veggie sticks for an easy appetizer. Enjoy! :D

1 15-oz. can of white beans, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. rosemary

pepper to taste

In a food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Enjoy on your favorite crackers, salads, flat wraps, etc!

QUESTION: What is your favorite kind of bean and what is your favorite way to eat them?